Moving/Relocating

Getting Your Home Ready toSell

For any homeowner who has
waited patiently for the real estate market to improve before putting a home up
for sale, now is a great time to do so. After several sluggish years, home sales
are experiencing a very healthy recovery. According to a 2013 article in The
Washington Post, sales are up as much as 10 percent in some parts of the
country.

But before you put the “for
sale” sign in your front yard, take some time—and the following steps—to get
your home ready to be viewed by real estate agents and potential homebuyers.

De-clutter
and de-personalize the interior by removing family photos, personal mementos
and knickknacks from shelves and table tops.

Pay
special attention to the kitchen: Remove small appliances, like toaster ovens
and coffee makers, from counters. Take everything out of the cabinets and
pantry and wash off shelves—or even repaint them—and only put a few items back.
Arrange canned goods by size and height and spices alphabetically. Stack
dishes, glasses and cups neatly.

Clean out and rearrange closets and other storage areas so they look
more spacious and not cramped. Hang clothing items by type, for instance, with
shirts buttoned and facing in the same direction and shoes lined up in rows. If
necessary, rent a storage unit for any overflow items.

Make
minor repairs, like caulking tubs and showers, patching walls and replacing
cracked tiles and grout. Wash windows inside and out, and repaint any uniquely
painted inside walls so they are now a neutral color. Replace worn-out
bedspreads, throw pillows, curtains or other fabrications. And air out theinterior to eliminate any food or pet odors.

Make sure the lawn is mowed andbushes are trimmed, and place potted flowers on the porch and near the entry.

And don’t forget to check with the manager or board for rules about real estate signs.